Corundum ± magnesium-deltalumite ± hibonite-bearing objects in the CH chondrite Sayh al Uhaymir 290

Isolated corundum grains and corundum ± Mg-deltalumite [(Al,Mg)(Al,◻)₂O₄] ± hibonite assemblages were investigated in the CH3.0 metal-rich carbonaceous chondrite Sayh al Uhaymir (SaU) 290. Although very refractory inclusions containing abundant Zr- and Sc-rich oxides and silicates, hibonite, grossite, or perovskite have been previously described in CH chondrites, this is the first discovery of corundum and Mg-deltalumite in CHs and the first discovery of Mg-deltalumite in nature. Magnesium-deltalumite can be indexed by the Fd3m spinel-type structure and gives a perfect fit to the synthetic Al-rich spinel cells. Corundum-Mg-deltalumite grains, 5–20 μm in size, are occasionally rimmed by a thin layer of hibonite replacing corundum. Some corundum grains contain tiny inclusions of ultrarefractory Zr,Sc-rich minerals and platinum-group element (PGE) nuggets. All corundum, hibonite, and Mg-deltalumite grains studied have ¹⁶O-rich compositions (average Δ¹⁷O ± 2SD = −22 ± 3‰). Two corundum grains show evidence for significant mass-dependent fractionation of oxygen isotopes: Δ¹⁸O ~ +34‰ and ~ +19‰. We suggest that the SaU 290 corundum-rich objects were formed by evaporation and/or condensation in a hot nebular region close to the proto-sun where the ambient temperature was close to the condensation temperature of corundum. A corundum grain with tiny inclusions of Zr- and Sc-rich phases and PGE metal nuggets recorded formation temperatures higher than the condensation temperature of corundum. Two corundum-rich objects with highly fractionated oxygen isotopes must have crystallized from a melt that experienced evaporation. Corundum grains corroded by hibonite recorded gas–solid interaction in this region during its cooling. The Mg-deltalumite ± corundum ± hibonite objects were formed by rapid crystallization of high-temperature (>2000°C) refractory melts. The lack of minerals with condensation temperatures below those of corundum and hibonite in the SaU 290 corundum-rich objects suggests that after formation, these objects were rapidly removed from the hot nebular region by disk wind and/or by turbulent diffusion and disk spreading.